Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items

ABSTRACT

Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items is a unique spice rack that can also serve as a multi-unit and multi-purpose storage system. The System saves available storage space and enables instant and constant organization with windows, personalized label areas and specialized organizational dividers. When decorated, the boxes appeal to the esthetic tastes of the consumer. The Vertical Storage System may include coordinated companion Trays and is expected to save time, reduce clutter and attractively grace storage areas.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the provisional patent application No. 61/717,807 titled “Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items”, which was filed on Oct. 24, 2012, and which is hereby included by reference.

SUMMARY

Uses: The Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items was developed to solve the problem of keeping spices orderly and easily retrieved. It has been observed that in addition to spices, a wide variety of hard-to-organize collections can be stored in the present invention. Examples are: bottles of flavor extracts, cake decorating supplies, salt & pepper shakers, thread, sewing notions, toys, medicines, paint tubes, art and craft supplies, school classroom supplies, ribbons, jewelry, hair bows, keepsakes, etc. Empty bottles, such as those used for spices, can be arranged in the present invention and filled with even smaller objects, such as thumb tacks, paper clips, erasers, game parts, thimbles, beads, and buttons. The advantage of the present invention is that once an item has a place, the item can be used and easily returned to that place for time-saving convenience and order. In addition, a cupboard companion Tray coordinates with the organizers to give a total cupboard makeover in just a few minutes. The frustrations of scouring a cupboard or drawer for a particular spice or package are avoided and the likelihood of buying duplicate spices is greatly reduced. The organizer can be attractively covered with different or coordinated graphics that increase their appeal as storage containers and gift boxes. Consumer may want to fill a decorated box with selected special items to give as a wedding, graduation, baby shower or house-warming gifts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Prior Art

A search of prior art for spice jar storage did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the invention. However, the following U.S. patents may be considered related because of their vertical nature: U.S. Pat. No. 1,709,685 by Rothrock in 1929, U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,037 by Kronberg in 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,084 by Gyr in 2001 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,036,665 by Gyr in 2006 all claim variations of a vertical container designed to resemble a hollow book. The present invention does not intend to resemble a hollow book in design, structure or function. A search of spice racks and spice storage units did not reveal any that were similar to the present invention.

2. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to spice racks and, more particularly, to a narrow vertically oriented box with off-centered dividers, windows, a door, a label area and a pull hole to organize, store and display its contents and to a system for alphabetizing spices in the box. The present invention also includes accessories to the storage system, such as labels and a coordinating tray.

Purpose

A Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items for an efficient, compact, environmentally friendly and easy-to-use storage system for spices and other small items. The system may comprise multiple vertically standing boxes, each labeled with the contents of the box. The boxes include with windows to view the contents. Internal dividers specifically designed to accommodate standard-sized commercially available spice jars may allow for the arranging and maintaining of jars in convenient alphabetical order. The present invention can also store a wide variety of other small items, such as medicines, sewing notions or digital devices. The system can save search time, storage space and money by eliminating the unnecessary purchase of duplicates to replaced lost items. With the present invention the ages-old mantra can be realized: a place for everything (small) and everything (small) in its place. The present invention can be quickly assembled without tools and it can be made of environmentally friendly materials.

Background Description of the Problem

Everyone who cooks has spice containers or jars in their kitchen and for nearly all chefs it's a love-hate relationship. The spice-jar storage area can be one of the most frustratingly disorganized spots in the home, and the more a person cooks, the larger the spice collection grows and the harder it is to manage. We have visited many homes to study and photograph storage systems used by homemakers. The first thing a homemaker usually says is, “I'm sorry, it's a mess!” Even homemakers with popular commercial spice racks find the storage units don't solve every need. People want a better system to organize; store, display, and retrieve spice jars, as well as help with conquering those other pesky order-resistant household items such as medicine and supplements, spools of thread, sewing notions, jewelry, crafts, office supplies, etc.

Many attempts have been made to design a better spice rack. The following are examples: decorative narrow shelves that hang on a kitchen wall, carousels that sit on the counter-top, lazy-susans, free-standing wire or acrylic shelves, in-drawer organizers, wire racks that attach to the back of a cupboard or pantry door, narrow built-in cabinet spice doors or drawers, stacking drawer units, and narrow tiered shelf organizers. Such storage systems can commonly be found or sale in specialty stores, general home supply stores, and on the Internet. Our system is like none of them.

Shortcomings of Other Solutions

The following are common complaints about other spice storage containers: Most spice-rack products store a fixed number of spices and cannot easily be expanded or reduced in size as storage needs change. Fancy carousels often come with full pre-labeled spice jars that provide the consumer with some unfamiliar and unwanted products and unnecessary cost. Other carousels come with empty bottles that the consumer must fill with spices. Filling the bottles can be difficult and sometimes require a specially designed funnel. Provided labels for the refillable jars often fall off leaving the user unsure of the contents. Exposed display units on the wall or counter gather dust and cooking grease and are difficult to keep clean. Most carousel systems take up too much room on the counter, especially when considering that many of the spices are seldom if ever used. The common in-cupboard systems, such as the Lazy-Susan and the tiered shelves, present difficulties of their own when the cook is searching for a particular spice: it is often impossible to see labels on any items behind the front row; searching for a needed spice frequently results in several spices getting knocked over or put back out of order. In addition, spices stored in cupboard shelves may have considerable wasted space above the spices on the shelf. A tiered shelf wastes space above and below the rows of spices. Built-in cabinet door storage can be unsatisfactory if the distance between shelves wastes space, if the bottle labels are hard to see, if jars easily fall over when the door is opened and if some spice shelves are too high to reach. In general, it is difficult to keep a collection of more than a few spices jars in order. Out of order spices can often result in the consumer buying duplicates when a sought for spice is not found, adding to the cost of the system. Many consumers who have commercial spice organizers also have spice jars sitting on open shelves or piled in drawers.

Advantages of the Invention

General Advantages:

It is an object of the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items to save space, save time, reduce clutter, and keep spices or other collections in desired order over a long period of use. The frustration of scouring a cupboard or drawer for particular items can be avoided and the frequent problem of buying duplicates can be greatly reduced.

Spice Storage Advantages:

The present invention has been carefully proportioned to store mini, standard and large-sized spice jars. Being initially designed for use with original retail spice containers, the present invention can eliminate any need to repackage the spices into coordinated or specially sized jars. Using the original retail jars may allow the user to retain the original label, which records the contents, source, and common uses of the spice as well as a purchase date the consumer may add. As an alternative, the consumer may use ready-to-fill bottles, which could be filled with bulk or home-grown spices and labeled by the consumer. Additional advantages the consumer may enjoy are that the present invention may improve spice quality by reducing exposure to light, the consumer may easily apply a first-bought/first used system for any duplicates, and the consumer may experience space and cost savings when comparing storage capacity with other spice organizers.

Other Storage Items:

In addition to spices, a wide variety of hard-to-organize collections can be stored in the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items. Examples include: bottles of flavor extracts or food colorings, cake decorating supplies, salt & pepper shaker collections, thread, sewing notions, ribbons, jewelry, toys, medicines and supplements, first aid supplies, paint tubes, art and craft supplies, school classroom supplies, hair bows, seasonal and holiday decorations, keepsakes, etc. Empty jelly or spice-sized bottles can be arranged in the invention and filled with even smaller objects, such as thumb tacks, paper clips, erasers, game parts, thimbles, beads, and buttons. When the vertical storage boxes are assembled side by side and labeled accurately, many diverse collections can be attractively and neatly grouped together on a shelf and easily accessible.

System and Sets:

An advantage of the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items may be that once an item has a place, the item can be used and easily returned to that place for time-saving convenience and order. This can be appealing for households in which more than one person needs to access the stored items. An example of how a spice system might work is the following: kitchen spices may be alphabetically arranged in a set of vertical boxes and the boxes labeled by the consumer in a manner such as the following: “All Spice to Cinnamon” or “A-C”; “Dill to Garlic” or “D-G”, etc. Any number of vertical boxes may be added side-by-side in the set, depending on the number of spices in the collection.

Vertical or Horizontal Orientation:

The special vertical feature of the invention enables the user to line up the boxes compactly in a small space. A finger-pull opening in the lower portion of a narrow paned enables the invention to be easily removed from higher shelves or locations. Thus, spices that might have been stored in a carousel on the counter can now be put neatly away on a higher shelf in a cupboard. The invention can also be stored horizontally as the specific use and space available dictates.

Locations of Use:

A Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items can be used in various home locations, such as kitchens, bedroom, craft or sewing areas, and storage areas, as well as the office, classrooms and in travel. The present invention looks beautiful in elegant homes, small apartments and trailer homes. It can especially be useful in locations where order and effective utilization of limited space are a priority.

Decorated Box:

The present invention can be decorated to appeal to the esthetic tastes of the consumer and to add charm to any storage location. The boxes can be manufactured with applied graphics, or may be produced plain for the consumer who would prefer to decorate their own box with vinyl lettering and designs or scrapbooking paper, bows, stickers, stamps or other means. When decorative surfaces are applied to the present invention the user may be greeted with a pleasant appearance every time the storage area is accessed.

Gift Boxes:

The consumer may want to fill decorated individual units with selected products, to give as wedding, graduation, birthday, baby shower, house-warming or other special event gifts. Examples could include a selection of common spices for newly-weds, cupcake decorations for a birthday celebration, or a collection of tea bags and supplies to give as a friendship gift. Crinkle paper can be arranged in the boxes to nest the gift items and a bow can be attached to the outside of the attractive box. A beautiful box can make an attractive gift on its own.

Coordinating Tray.

Some items in a cupboard or on a shelf may need order and improved accessibility but they are too large to be stored in the Vertical Spice Storage Box. The present invention may also include a separate tray that can add the needed storage assistance for things that get out of place and lost in the back of the shelf or in hard to reach areas of the cupboard. The tray may include decorative covering that matches the Vertical Spice Storage Boxes. The tray may hold collections of other boxes, packages and jars, such as cooking supplies or foods. The tray can make finding items hidden in the back of a cupboard easy because the tray can be pulled forward to examine the back items. Trays may be designed to match the depth of the cupboard shelves and have a width small enough that several trays can fit on one shelf. A tray may also contain a finger pull-hole for easier access.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective view and method of use of the present invention as a vertical storage set and organizational system;

FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view showing how spices may be organized in a box, stored, removed from storage, opened and a spice jar or other stored item removed for use;

FIG. 1C illustrates a system for selecting a storage area and items to be stored;

FIG. 1D illustrates a system to assemble the boxes, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 1E illustrates a system to assemble the boxes, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 1F illustrates a system to assemble the boxes, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 1G illustrates a system to assemble the boxes, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 2A is a flat view of a cardboard box blank with which the present invention may be constructed;

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of a folded box blank showing a box interior through a partially opened door;

FIG. 3A illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3B illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 3C illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 3D illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 3E illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 3F illustrates other box structure, substrate, window and closure options for the present invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4D is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4E is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4F is a perspective view of one sample interior of the invention, according to another embodiment;

FIG. 5A is a flat view of cardboard blanks for creating off-centered dividers;

FIG. 5B is a manner in which the cardboard blanks may be assembled and placed in the invention;

FIG. 5C is a manner in which the cardboard blanks may be assembled and placed in the invention;

FIG. 5D is a manner in which the cardboard blanks may be assembled and placed in the invention;

FIG. 5E is a manner in which the cardboard blanks may be assembled and placed in the invention (note the reinforced back wall of the box created by the dividers);

FIG. 5F is a manner in which the cardboard blanks may be assembled and placed in the invention;

FIG. 6A shows a method of forming optional corner-shaped dividers for the invention;

FIG. 6B shows an example of one possible use for the optional corner-shaped dividers;

FIG. 6C shows another example of one possible use for the optional corner-shaped dividers;

FIG. 6C shows another example of one possible use for the optional corner-shaped dividers;

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of Trays that coordinate with and serve as cupboard companions to the present invention;

FIG. 7B illustrates a cardboard blank for making trays that coordinate with and serve as cupboard companions to the present invention;

FIG. 8A is an illustration of label panel stickers that may be available to change the color and pattern of the label panel of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is an illustration of label panel stickers that may be available to change the color and pattern of the label panel of the present invention; and

FIG. 8C is an illustration of plastic zip bags that can be made available to assist in storing beads, jewelry and other small items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1—Perspective View and Method of Use

The two illustrations show an overall concept of a Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items and a sample method for using the present invention.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the overall concept. A Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items (1) may be a collection of individual boxes (2) that stand vertically in a side-by-side grouping on a shelf. A method of using the boxes (2) and an orderly arrangement and labeling of their contents comprise a system (1).

Boxes in the collection (1) may contain dissimilar contents. The boxes (2) can be utilized independently and do not need to be used as part of a set. Coordinated box exterior decoration may make a pleasant combination of storage boxes when grouped together or used separately.

Viewing orientation of the present invention for purposes of discussion: when the closed door panel (4) of a Spice Organizer (2) is facing the user, the end to the right may be called the right side panel (5) and the end to the left, where the door hinge (6) could be located may be called the left side panel (7). Either narrow panel (5 or 7) may be placed outwardly toward the user when the present invention is in storage but the pull hole (14) can best be utilized if the left panel (7) is oriented outwardly toward the user. Either panel (5 or 7) may have a label area (9) on which to record the contents of the present invention (2). The labels (9) in this illustration show examples of cooking and kitchen supplies that may be stored in the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items (1) or individual boxes (2).

The unique resting orientation of the invention may be vertical, with each organizer box (2) within the set (1) standing on its narrow bottom panel (10), however an organizer box (2) may also be stored horizontally by lying flat on its back panel (11) in a drawer or on a counter or other flat surface (3), as positioned in FIG. 1B. A vertical orientation of an organizer box (2) allows it to make the fullest use of available space in a cupboard or on a shelf.

FIG. 1B illustrates an opened Spice Organizer or Multi-Purpose Storage box (2) showing stored contents and the method of using a box (2) for spice organization and storage. One spice organizer box (2) has been removed from the set (1) and placed on its back panel (11) on a flat surface (3), such as a counter or table. The windowed door panel (4) has been opened by lifting up on the lift tab (22) and a stored item (12) has been removed. In this view the open box (2) contains spice jars (13) as an example of stored items.

FIGS. 1C-G Perspective View and Method of Use (Continued)

FIG. 1C—System for selecting a storage area and items to be stored: To prepare the present invention as a storage system, a person might collect a set (1) of empty organizer boxes (2) and determine which cupboard shelf or other flat surface (3) is conveniently located and of an acceptable size to store the set. The organizer boxes (2) may be carefully calculated to fit within the width of a standard cupboard shelf. The height of the space between shelves is often adjustable in modern cabinets with the use of shelving strips and moveable support clips or pegs. When storing spices (13), as an example, it is not necessary to have the spices stored in a shelf near the stove or even displayed on a counter. The organizer boxes (2) containing spices may be stored on an upper kitchen cupboard shelf, in an upper cupboard above a stove or microwave, in a lower cupboard below the counter, on a corner-cupboard turn-table, in a pantry, on a window ledge, on a table or even on a bookshelf. The finger-pull hole (14) on the narrow left panel (7) can make removal from higher shelves easier. Organizer boxes used for multi-purpose storage (2) can also be stored on a display shelf, a bookshelf, a craft table, a sewing shelf, in a closet, in a drawer, or pantry, work bench, in a trailer, a desk, etc.

The user may want to remove all spice containers and other small disorganized items from the current storage area and group them by category, such as spices, instant soup mixes, pudding boxes, dried meal enhancers, small packages of nuts, etc. Line the spices up alphabetically irrespective of variations in size on a table or counter. In this drawing numerals have been substituted for names of individual spices that might be stored for clarity of illustration. Duplicate spices could be removed and placed in a separate storage container for duplicates. Spice bottles or other items too large for the Spice Organizers can be stored in the Coordinating Companion Trays (See FIG. 8).

FIG. 1D—System to assemble the boxes. After selecting the storage area and obtaining the desired number of organizer boxes (2), the flat blanks (see FIG. 2) could be assembled by forming them into box shapes. It is assumed that most consumers would purchase boxes that are already assembled and fitted with an internal removable optional structure such as the off-centered dividers (16) to separate and support the contents. If the boxes need to be assembled, see the instructions in FIG. 2. Assembly of the box blanks may take less than two minutes for experienced hands. See the assembly instructions for the off-centered dividers in FIG. 5. The off-centered divider may take just moments to assemble and snap into place in the well of the box. Some storage items, such as thread, and may do well with other optional dividers see FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 1E—System for Loading the vertical organizer boxes: With all the spice jars (13) arranged alphabetically, left to right, in a line and with duplicate spices set aside, the consumer may start at the left end of the line and place the spice jars in the vertical spice organizer box. (2) The consumer may maintain as much as practical the same alphabetical order by starting in the upper left corner of a box and placing the sequentially arranged jars in the open areas to the right of the last jar placed until the rows are filled. If the spice organizing boxes (2) are divided by one or more horizontal support shelves (15), the consumer can put the jars in the upper and lower storage spaces. Smaller jars may be placed on top of each other so that they become stacked when the box is stored vertically. Occasionally large jars may need to be placed out of order. This may not be a problem because the spice will still be found in the appropriately labeled box. The user may want to leave an extra open space to accommodate new spice bottles that are added later. A user may want to mark the purchase date on each jar to assist in keeping the spice collection fresh. The system is very flexible and can easily change as the need arises. Variations in the way an Organizer could be loaded are seen in FIGS. 4A-4F.

FIG. 1F—System of Securing and Recording the contents: When the Organizer Box (2) has been sufficiently loaded with the stored items, the user may securely close the windowed door panel (4). In the instance of a cardboard substrate as used in FIG. 2, the door rotates on the hinge area from the left side (7) to the right side (5) and the door-locking flap (23) snaps snugly into place on the inside of the box parallel to the right panel. FIG. 3 shows a variety of other closure options. The Organizer box contents (12) may be listed in the designated label area (9) on the narrow panels (5 or 7). Recording the box contents in the label area (9) can be achieved in several ways, including but not limited to: hand written labels, labels made of the glued area of sticky notes, preprinted replacement labels as shown in FIG. 8, press-apply vinyl lettering and labels printed on self-apply address stickers.

FIG. 1G—Placing the multi-purpose box in storage: After storage items (12) have been placed in the individual boxes (2), the boxes may be placed in the cupboard or other storage area (3). A consumer may also want to arrange the boxes alphabetically based on the labels created. Next to any designated vertical spice organizer boxes can be added boxes containing other cooking items, such as liquid flavors, cake decorating equipment (see FIG. 1A), or non-cooking items. Together vertically arranged boxes stored on a shelf can be considered a set or system (1).

Removing the present invention from storage: When removing the present invention from a shelf the consumer may simply grip the individual box (2) (as shown in FIG. 1A), pull it forward while supporting the bottom of the box with the other hand and lay it on its back panel (11) on a flat surface (3). As an alternative, especially for boxes that are stored on a high shelf, the consumer may place a finger in the finger-pull hole (14) and pull the box (2) forward from the storage area. When placed on a flat surface (3) the door (4) can then be opened and all the needed stored items (12) removed. Although the organizing boxes are easy to use and save time in finding spices, removing all the spices needed at the beginning of the cooking session may increase the time efficiency even more.

System of restocking stored items: With the vertical spice organizer clearly labeled on the label panel (8), the user could expect to see all the spices (or other items) in that range or category neatly in place in the vertical spice organizer. If an item is missing the user could naturally assume that restocking of the missing item is necessary. On the chance that the spice jar was not replaced in the vertical spice organizer, it might be easily found if all the other spices have been stored in their designated places. With this system the ages-old mantra can be realized: a place for everything (small) and everything (small) in its place.

FIG. 2—Cardboard Box Blank with Construction Steps

FIG. 2A Substrate options: This Figure is a diagram of the interior side of a flat cardboard blank that may be used as one of the optional substrates for the present invention. Other substrates options are illustrated in FIG. 3 and could include chipboard, tin, plastic, aluminum, bamboo, wood or other sturdy but light-weight material. The substrate used may change the specifics of the construction, such as the style of door, hinge and closure used. When constructed, the resulting box may be similar in size and shape to the cardboard box illustrated here in order to fit in a standard cupboard and hold a set of spices of three sizes most commonly found in grocery stores. The substrate needs to give adequate support to the stored items and to withstand reasonable wear and tear. If made of cardboard, the panels and door can be double thickness for greater strength. The door panel is constructed of two layers of cardboard plus the plastic window which prepares it for frequent handling. The size of the cardboard space between the two windows is made sufficiently wide to support a user's handgrip when hefting the box. Boxes made of paper or cardboard will be gentle on the environment and biodegradable. The blank cardboard material may have decorative graphics permanently adhered to one or both sides before the blank is cut with a specifically designed and manufactured die.

As an added advantage, the present invention, when constructed of cardboard blanks, can be shipped in a knockdown form and assembled or erected without the use of tools. The boxes may also be made available to the consumer fully constructed.

Method of constructing a the present invention (2) using a cardboard blank: Cardboard as a substrate is lightweight and provides strength to the invention. The design of this invention gives most of the box walls a double thickness. A cardboard blank will be used as an example to discuss how the box is constructed. In this diagram the interior side of the blank is in view and it is presumed but not required that a plain white surface is upward facing. Decorative elements created by printed lithographic paper may be facing downward in this illustration. All folds occur along dashed or scored lines (17).

-   -   [1] To assemble and strengthen the windowed-doors (4): The         transparent plastic window pane (18) or other transparent         material may be glued to the door (4) at the window glue area         (19). The two interior window supports (20) may be gently folded         inwardly 90 degrees at the fold lines (17) and glued to the         interior side of the door panel (4) giving the door additional         strength. The transparent sheet (18) will be sandwiched between         the interior window supports (20) and the windowed-door panel         (4) creating a transparent window (21) through which the         contents of the vertical organizer box can be viewed.     -   [2] Finishing the door: The door's lift tab (22) is released         only along its curved edge from the door locking-flap (23). The         door locking-flap (23) is folded inwardly 45-degrees along the         creased lines (17). The reinforced door panel (4) is foldably         attached to the left side panel (7) along the hinge (6) area.         The door (4) is folded inwardly along the creased hinge line (6)         to a 45-degree position relative to the left side (7), which may         also be called the panel with label area (8).     -   [3] Pre-folding to create the wall corners: The four         locking-tabs (24) can be folded upwardly at a 45-degree angle         relative to the back panel. The three locking-tab flaps (25) may         be folded upwardly at a 45-degree angle but should not be locked         in place yet. Continuing to pre-fold by folding along the dotted         lines each of the four narrow panels: the left side panel (7),         the right side panel (5), the top panel (27) and the bottom         panel (10) upwardly at a 45-degree angle relative to the back         panel.     -   [4] Creating the top panel and its corners: Next, the two         locking-tabs (24T) at both ends of the top panel (27) may be         folded along the interior of the box toward the center (28) of         the top panel (27). While adroitly holding the locking-tabs         (24T) in place, fold over the locking-tab flap (25), which is         foldably attached to the top panel (27). Capture the         locking-tabs (24T) between the locking-tab flap (25) and the top         panel (27) and press the top panel (27) and locking-tab flap         (25) together until the two locking-tab extensions (29) engage         in the two locking notches (30).     -   [5] Steps to create the bottom panel and its corners: Using the         same steps as needed to create the top panel and its corners,         the two locking-tabs (24B) may be folded on the scored lines         toward the center of the bottom panel (10). Again while adroitly         holding the locking-tabs (24B) in place, fold over the         locking-tab flap (25) which is foldably attached to the bottom         panel (10). Capture the locking-tabs (24B) between the         locking-tab flap (25) and the bottom panel (10) and press         together until the two locking-tab extensions (29) firmly engage         in the two locking notches, which are also called (30).     -   [6] To form the right panel (5) and complete the box interior:         The locking tab flap (25) foldably attached to the right side         panel (5) is folded toward the box interior (26), also called         back panel (11), at a 90 degree angle and the two locking tab         extensions (29) are inserted securely into the two locking         notches (30). If needed, remove the plug from the lift tab         access hole (31). When the panel is folded and the plug removed,         the lift tab access hole may be half-moon in shape.     -   [7] Positioning the windowed-door panel (4): Once the walls and         well are formed, the door panel may be pivoted along the dotted         lines, which indicate the hinge (6) area, to cover and close the         entire well or interior (26) of the box. The door locking flap         (23) may be inserted in the space on the inside of the right         side panel (5). The lift tab (22), which attaches at the fold of         the left locking flap (23), may line up with the lift tab access         hole (31) on the right side panel (5). The purpose of the lift         tab (22) and lift tab access hole (31) are to provide a         one-finger action to raise the door (4) and open the box.

FIG. 2B is a perspective diagram of the constructed organizer box, based on the folding and gluing instructions listed in FIG. 2A. In a slightly different configuration of the cardboard blank, the door flap (23) may be lapped outside the right side panel (5) and held in place by Velcro, magnets or other fasteners. The fastener must be strong enough to withstand years of service. In this Illustration, the door flap (23) snaps securely in place inside the right side panel (5).

FIG. 3—Other Vertical Box Structure, Substrate, Window and Closure Options

Substrate Variations and distinctions: As explained in the description for FIG. 2, other substrates in addition to cardboard may be used, such as paperboard, plastic or tin, and the details for the method of construction would vary accordingly. What may distinguish all variations of the Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Box from other boxes is a construction that allows the box to rest securely on the bottom narrow panel without tipping, a closing device that keeps the contents securely in place when vertically stored, a method of labeling the contents of the box on the viewable panels when stored, a means of holding in place and supporting the products within, an attractive and durable exterior that lends itself to grouping multiple boxes vertically, substrate strength sufficient to hold a full contingency of glass spice jars and a size that can accommodate a maximum number of spice jars in the available space of typical kitchen shelves. Boxes may be constructed in a narrow or wide version to more specifically store individual items such as collections of narrow thread spools or wide spice jars. (See examples of width variations in FIG. 4.)

Window panes: The boxes may have a variety of transparent window pane configurations, or no pane. The number of panes is an esthetic choice based on the substrate and graphics selected. A paperboard box (FIGS. 3A and 3B) may have one or more panes. Panes could be made of transparent plastic sheets, small uncovered slits in the door, or even unusual materials such as nylon or wire webbing (FIG. 3C). A tin box could have one large pane as in (FIG. 3D). A plastic box may be clear and not need a designated window pane.

Hinge: The hinge (6), which connects the door panel (4) to the labeled panel (7 or 8), as seen in FIG. 1B, can be achieved through a number of means depending on the substrate and design preferences. Some of the hinges that could be used are metal hinges, tape, wire rings, ribbon and string. A living hinge could be used when a box is made of a single substrate and the hinge is achieved by bending or folding a connecting edge between the door and the body of the box. Cardboard or plastic are substrates that could use a living hinge.

Closure system: The door panel (4) may have a door locking flap (23) to secure it in a closed position. The closure system may include but is not limited to tucking in the flap inside the right side panel (5) or overlapping the right side panel (5) with the door flap (23), and securing it with a latch, magnets, Velcro, elastic (FIG. 3F), ties, string (FIG. 3B), ribbons (FIG. 3E), buckles (FIG. 3F) or other means to keep the door securely in place. A plastic or tin box may have no flap but instead have a metal latch as in (FIGS. 3C and 3D)

FIG. 4—Box Interior View with Variations of Size, Dividers and Content

FIG. 4A is a perspective illustration of the interior of the present invention, displaying spice jars in storage. The off-centered divider shown here in the open boxes (FIGS. 4A, 4C, 4D, and 4F) are carefully engineered to maximize the use of space when storing spices. The off-centered divider could also be an optional part of the multi-purpose vertical box system to hold items in place and create upper and lower-level storage spaces. (The optional off-centered dividers are depicted in further detail in FIG. 5.) The consumer also has the option of removing the vertical section of the off-centered divider Dividers (as in FIG. 4C) or both sections of the off-centered divider (as in FIG. 4E) and replacing them with a different style of divider, if needed for various sizes and shapes of items, or to not uses dividers at all in the box. (See samples of other types of dividers in FIGS. 6 and 7.)

Size: The present invention may be carefully engineered to fit within a cupboard shelf and to function as a spice organizer. A spice organizer may accommodate ten standard spice jars (36), with five standard spice jars on a top row (32T) and five on a bottom row (32B). The same size spice organizer (2) would be able to store 20 small jars (35) or a combination of both standard (36) and small jars (35). A wide (34) spice organizer can hold four large spice jars (37) in addition to a mix of standard and small jars. All boxes can contain sufficient space to enclose the stored items and to sit on a standard-depth shelf in a closed cupboard while allowing sufficient box interior space for the consumer's fingers to grip an item for removal from the box.

FIG. 4B illustrates a Short Spice Organizer box: The shorter height may enable it to fit in narrow spaces between shelves in a cupboard, a bookshelf, or other storage area. The box can be large enough to accommodate small (35), standard (36) or large (37) spice jars and yet be small enough to fit in a cupboard space that is not adjustable.

FIGS. 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F show how the present invention can be adapted to accommodate a wide variety of small items. The illustrations also show that the Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage Boxes can be made in a variety of sizes to more precisely fit particular items, such as a narrow organizer box (33) for thread (FIG. 4E) storage. People who quilt or otherwise have a large collection of thread may want a set of library boxes into which they organize the thread by color or type. A kitchen cupboard can be organized and the space fully utilized by putting not only spice jars in the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items, but also small containers of flavorings, colorings, cake decorating supplies, packages of soup or drink mixes, etc.

FIG. 5: Cardboard Blanks for Creating an Off-Centered Divider

Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage Boxes (2) may be divided into two or more compartments or cells by means of different styles of optional dividers. The divider structure may be integral with the container or a separate member as in the example of the off-centered divider (16). An off-centered divider can be designed to fit tightly within the Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Boxes so that it adds additional strength to the all the panels of the vertical storage boxes.

The two separate blanks (FIGS. 5A and 5C) of the off-centered divider are cut from the same sheet of material, such as cardboard in this example, but other substrates may be used.

FIG. 5A is a diagram of the larger blank that becomes the back wall (38) and horizontal support shelf (39 and/or 15) of the off-centered divider. The shelf (39) may be formed by folding the upper half (39 a) and lower half (39 b) along the scored fold lines (40) at a 90 degree angle with the backs together.

FIG. 5B shows the results of the actions described in FIG. 5A. The backs of (39 a) and (39 b) are folded together and protrude at right angles from the back (38), forming a shelf (39 and/or 15).

FIG. 5C illustrates the second and smaller blank, which may be used as a vertical support (43). To construct the vertical support, fold the backs of the two sides together (42 a and 42 b) along the scored folding line (41) at a 90 degree angle. The folded blank is rotated as shown in FIG. 5D to become vertical. The vertical portion (43) may be fitted into place on the horizontal shelf (39) by inserting vertical member slot (44) into horizontal shelf receiving slot (45). The joined pieces are illustrated in FIG. 5E.

The formed divider (15) may be slipped into the well (26) of the box (2), as seen in FIG. 5F, with the left side (46) of the off-centered divider (15) touching the left box panel (8). The right side (47) of the horizontal shelf (39) has a notch (48) that provides a space for the door-locking flap (23) to be snugly tucked inside the right side panel (5). The off-centered divider may be used with the horizontal shelf (39) alone, creating an upper and lower cell within the box, or it may be used with the addition of the vertical portion (43) so that four cells are created. Other dividers (such as those in FIG. 6) may result in different numbers of cells.

When fully assembled and placed in the box, (as in FIG. 5F) an off-centered divider (15), the back wall (38) provides a reinforcing layer of support material to the back panel (11) and the shelf (39) is held securely in place by the vertical divider (43). If necessary, the vertical divider can be cut along the dotted line at (49) to allow the top and bottom cells to be adjusted in size independently to the right or to the left for special stored items.

FIG. 6: Corner-Shaped Divider

FIG. 6 illustrates corner-shaped dividers. This diagram illustrates another optional divider design called corner-shaped dividers (50). These dividers can be used when additional flexibility is needed when supporting and separating uniquely shaped stored items. Corner-shaped dividers may be used exclusively in Spice Organizers and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage Boxes (2) or in combination with other divider devices such as horizontal shelves (51) or the off-centered divider (16). The corner-shaped dividers (50) may be especially useful in dividing and holding in place spools of thread in narrow boxes (as seen in FIGS. 4E and 6C). The dividers (50) may be made in a variety of sizes such as long (52) or short (53) for thread or other products. The corner-shaped dividers may be placed in the box (2) in a variety of ways, such as on the short end (54) or long side (55) of the divider and facing right (56) or left (57).

FIG. 6A describes a method of making the corner-shaped divider. Each corner-shaped divider (50) may be created using a small rectangular flat blank (FIG. 6A). The blank could be made of a material similar to poster board or other suitably thin but sturdy substrate. The blank sides are folded at a 45 degree angle along the length (58) at the fold lines (59). The blank is then folded at a 45 degree angle at the cross fold line (60). A short cut (61) is made up to the fold mark on the length fold line (59). The resulting cut would be about ⅓ the distance of the lengthwise fold line (59). The cut (61) creates two resulting divider flaps (62) which are folded inwardly and overlapped each other (63). The tabs are glued, stapled, taped, self-locking or otherwise joined to each other creating a three-sided support called a corner-shaped divider (50).

FIG. 6B is a perspective drawing of corner-shaped dividers (50) providing support to a variety of odd-shaped sample stored items.

FIG. 6C shows details of using corner-shaped dividers to organize and store thread spools and bobbins. In this Illustration, separate horizontal shelf supports (51) may be made of sturdy paper or plastic by cutting a rectangle the length of the box and, in the case of heavy paper, folding it in half lengthwise. The number of shelf supports needed would be determined by the number and sizes of the rows of thread spools stored.

FIG. 7—Coordinating Companion Tray

FIG. 7A-A Coordinating Companion Tray (64) may provide additional cupboard organization and storage for items that are large, odd-shaped or otherwise cannot fit in a Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage Box (2). The tray (64) could have cover graphics (65) that coordinate with the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items (1) and give a pleasing orderliness to larger storage items. Examples of groupings that could be put into trays are boxes of cake mixes, boxes of puddings, cooking ingredients such as salt, soda and baking soda, etc. The Tray may be open, without a lid to give immediate access to the well (66). The tray may have a finger-pull hole (14) to help the user pull the tray forward from the shelf (3). The ability to pull the tray forward makes items in the back of the cupboard easier to retrieve. The tray could be made of cardboard or other substrate and have reinforced walls. Each wall may have a folded upper edge (67) which gives a finished look. A label area (9) on which to write the contents of the tray may be provided or affixed by the consumer.

FIG. 7B—The construction of a coordinating companion tray may proceed as follows: Fold the four locking-tab flaps (25) inward at a 45-degree angle but do not lock them in place yet. Fold the back panel (77), the right side panel (5), the left side panel (7) and the front panel (68) upward at a 45-degree angle. Fold the four locking-tabs (24) up at a 45-degree angle. Adroitly hold locking-tabs (24R) against the inside portion of the right side panel (5) and bring down the locking-tab flaps (25) to cover the tabs (24R). Push the two locking-tab extensions (29) into the two locking-notches (30). Repeat the procedure on the left side of the box by adroitly holding the locking tabs (24L) against the left side panel (8) while bringing down the locking tab flaps (25) to cover the locking tabs (24L). Push the two locking tab extensions (29) into the two locking notches (30) on the left side.

FIG. 8—Vertical Storage System Accessories

FIG. 8A—Illustrates sheets of decorative label stickers (70) that can fit on the label panel (8) of the Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage System Boxes (2). The Stickers may contain adhesive on the non-decorated side with a protective removable covering. A sticker could be applied as in FIG. 8B by carefully positioning the sticker over the end panel and smoothing from the bottom up.

FIG. 8C—Small plastic zip bags of various sizes can be supplied for consumers who wish to organize jewelry, beads or other very small items in the Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and Other Small Items.

While the invention is described in conjunction with illustrated embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the present patent specification as a whole.

ELEMENTS

-   -   1. Vertical Box System for Organizing and Storing Spice Jars and         Other Small Items     -   2. Individual Spice Organizer and Multi-Purpose Vertical Storage         box     -   3. Flat surface, such as a shelf or table     -   4. Door panel     -   5. Right panel     -   6. Door hinge     -   7. Left panel     -   8. Panel or spine with label area     -   9. Label area     -   10. Bottom panel     -   11. Back panel     -   12. Stored item     -   13. Spice jars     -   14. Finger-pull hole     -   15. Horizontal support shelf (also #29)     -   16. Off-centered dividers     -   17. folding edge (all dashed lines)     -   18. window pane, transparent     -   19. window glue area     -   20. window support, interior     -   21. window opening     -   22. door's lift-tab     -   23. door locking-flap     -   24. locking-tabs (Top & Bottom)     -   25. locking-tab flap     -   26. box interior     -   27. top panel     -   28. Center of the top panel     -   29. Locking-tab extension     -   30. Locking-notch     -   31. lift tab access hole     -   32. Top row (32T), Bottom row (32B)     -   33. Narrow organizer box     -   34. Wide organizer box     -   35. Small spice jars     -   36. Standard spice jars     -   37. Large spice jars     -   38. Off-centered divider back wall     -   39. (a&b) Horizontal support shelf (also #15)     -   40. Scored fold lines     -   41. Scored fold lines     -   42. (a&b) Sides of the vertical member of an off-centered         divider     -   43. Vertical member of an off-centered divider     -   44. Vertical member Slot     -   45. Horizontal shelf receiving Slot     -   46. Left side of the off-centered divider     -   47. Right side of the off-centered divider     -   48. Notch on the off-centered divider     -   49. Cut line     -   50. Corner-shaped dividers     -   51. Horizontal shelves     -   52. Long corner-shaped dividers     -   53. Short corner-shaped dividers     -   54. Short end of corner-shaped dividers     -   55. Long side corner-shaped dividers     -   56. Facing right     -   57. Facing left     -   58. Length of the corner-shaped dividers     -   59. Length Fold lines     -   60. Cross Fold lines     -   61. Short cut     -   62. Corner-shaped divider flaps     -   63. Overlapped corner-shaped divider flaps     -   64. Coordinating Companion Tray     -   65. Coordinated graphic cover     -   66. Well or interior of the Tray     -   67. Folded upper edge     -   68. Front panel     -   69. Back panel     -   70. Replacement stickers for the label panel     -   71. Plastic zip bags to organize beads, jewelry or other very         small items. 

1. A method of storing and organizing a plurality of spice jars, comprising: arranging spice jars alphabetically; removing duplicate spice jars; obtaining a storage apparatus comprising: a box comprising a bottom panel, a top panel, a left panel, a right panel, a back panel, and a front panel, wherein the front panel comprises at least one window pane and is hingedly coupled to one of the bottom panel, the top panel, the left panel, and the right panel, and a removable shelving insert that can be inserted into the box to divide the box into multiple compartments, wherein at least one shelf surface is parallel to the bottom panel of the box and wherein the bottom panel and the at least on shelf surface are configured to support small canisters in a vertical position; placing the spice jars in alphabetical order on the at least one shelf surface and the bottom panel of the box; and placing the apparatus in a cupboard in a vertical orientation. 2-5. (canceled)
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising labeling one or more of the left panel and the right panel with a label that describes contents of the apparatus.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing the removable shelving insert with a second removable shelving insert.
 8. A storage and organizational apparatus, comprising: a box comprising a bottom panel, a top panel, a left panel, a right panel, a back panel, and a front panel, wherein the front panel comprises at least one window pane and is hingedly coupled to one of the bottom panel, the top panel, the left panel, and the right panel; and a removable shelving insert that can be inserted into the box to divide the box into multiple compartments, wherein at least one shelf surface is parallel to the bottom panel of the box and wherein the bottom panel and the at least on shelf surface are configured to support small canisters in a vertical position.
 9. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is sized to fit within a cupboard and is configured to support spice jars in a vertical position.
 10. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, wherein the distance between the back panel and the front panel in a closed position is less than about 5 inches.
 11. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a latching mechanism for temporarily securing the front panel in a closed position.
 12. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, wherein one or more of the left panel and the right panel comprises a label pane for labeling contents of the apparatus.
 13. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, wherein the removable shelving insert further comprises at least one vertical divider surface parallel to the left and right panels.
 14. The storage and organizational apparatus of claim 8, wherein the removable shelving insert further comprises a backing panel that engages the back panel of the box to structurally reinforce the apparatus. 